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United States Patent |
5,690,515
|
Cipolla
|
November 25, 1997
|
Splicing block for multi-strand electric cable
Abstract
A slicing block includes two threaded recesses, each of which intersects
with a perpendicular passageway sized to require a multi-strand electric
cable. A resilient saddle is guided vertically within each threaded recess
by virtue of diametrically opposed vertical keyways formed through the
threads of the threaded recess. A pressure screw is threadably received
within each threaded recess and, when threaded into the threaded recess,
engages a rear face of a saddle to reciprocate the saddle into the recess
while being guided by the vertical keyways until the saddle bears upon an
electric cable to clamp the electric cable into place within the
perpendicular passageway.
Inventors:
|
Cipolla; Frank G. (8927 95th St., N., Seminole, FL 34647)
|
Appl. No.:
|
682940 |
Filed:
|
July 16, 1996 |
Current U.S. Class: |
439/797 |
Intern'l Class: |
H01R 004/66 |
Field of Search: |
439/797,798,100
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
2201674 | May., 1940 | Rowe et al.
| |
2210750 | Aug., 1940 | Cook et al.
| |
2287762 | Jun., 1942 | Rogoff.
| |
2371446 | Mar., 1945 | Jensen.
| |
2499985 | Mar., 1950 | Cafiero.
| |
3015084 | Dec., 1961 | Gribble.
| |
4072393 | Feb., 1978 | McDermott et al.
| |
5021014 | Jun., 1991 | Walter et al.
| |
Primary Examiner: Nguyen; Khiem
Assistant Examiner: Byrd; Eugene G.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Larson & Larson, P.A, Larson; James E.
Claims
I claim:
1. A splicing block for an electric cable, comprising:
a) a housing having a passageway sized to receive an end of an electric
cable;
b) said housing having a threaded recess extending from an outer face of
said housing and intersecting with said passageway;
c) a vertical keyway formed through threads of said threaded recess;
d) a saddle receivable within said threaded recess and having a laterally
extending protrusion receivable within said keyway;
e) a pressure screw threadably receivable within said threaded recess and
capturing said saddle within said threaded recess;
f) whereby an end of an electric cable may be inserted into said
passageway, said saddle may be received within said threaded recess and
may be guided in linear non-rotative movement by interaction of said
protrusion and keyway, said pressure screw being reciprocated to cause
said saddle to clamp an electric cable within said passageway.
2. The splicing block of claim 1, wherein said end of said electric cable
is stripped of insulation.
3. The splicing block of claim 1, wherein said threaded recess and
passageway are perpendicular to one another.
4. The splicing block of claim 1, wherein said vertical keyway comprises a
first vertical keyway, said recess having a second vertical keyway
diametrically opposed to said first vertical keyway.
5. The splicing block of claim 4, wherein said laterally extending
protrusion comprises a first protrusion, said saddle having a second
diametrically opposed protrusion, each protrusion being guidingly received
within a respective one of said keyways.
6. The splicing block of claim 1, further including a spring portion of
said saddle to form a resilient biasing spring that receives a bottom
portion of the pressure screw.
7. The splicing block of claim 1, wherein said saddle has an arcuate
surface adapted to engage said cable.
8. The splicing block of claim 7, wherein said saddle includes an integral
spring above said arcuate surface and engageable with said screw to
provide a biasing force toward said arcuate surface.
9. The splicing block of claim 1, wherein said pressure screw has a top
surface with a tool receiving recess extending inwardly therefrom.
10. The splicing block of claim 1, said housing further including a further
passageway intersecting a further threaded recess.
11. A splicing block for an electric cable, comprising:
a) a housing having a passageway sized to receive an end of an electric
cable;
b) said housing having a threaded recess extending from an outer face of
said housing and intersecting perpendicularly with said passageway;
c) two diametrically opposed vertical keyways formed through threads of
said threaded recess;
d) a resilient saddle receivable within said threaded recess and having two
opposed laterally extending protrusions each receivable within respective
ones of said keyways, said saddle having an arcuate surface adapted to
engage an electric cable;
e) a pressure screw threadably receivable within said threaded recess and
capturing said saddle within said threaded recess;
f) whereby an end of an electric cable can be inserted into said
passageway, said saddle can be received within said threaded recess and
can be guided in linear non-rotative movement by interaction of said
protrusions and keyways, said pressure screw being reciprocated to engage
said saddle to clamp an electric cable within said passageway.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a splicing block for multi-strand electric
cable. In the prior art, clamping devices for clamping an electric cable
within a recess are known. However, Applicant is unaware of any such
device including all of the features and aspects of the present invention.
The following prior art is known to Applicant:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,201,674 to Rowe et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,210,750 to Cook et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,287,762 to Rogoff
U.S. Pat. No. 2,371,446 to Jensen
U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,985 to Cafiero
U.S. Pat. No. 3,015,084 to Gribble
U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,393 to McDermott et al.
The present invention is believed to patentably distinguish from these
references since none of the references is believed to teach or suggest
the use of keyways formed through the threads of a threaded recess to
guide a saddle in movements toward and away from an electric cable
inserted in a passageway perpendicular to the threaded recess.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a splicing block for multi-strand electric
cable. The present invention includes the following interrelated objects,
aspects and features:
(1) In a first aspect, the present invention preferably consists of a
rectangular cubic housing having means for splicing two electric cables.
Each such means includes a threaded recess intersecting with a
perpendicular electric cable receiving passageway.
(2) Each threaded recess has diametrically opposed vertical keyways cut
through the recess threads and designed to guidingly receive a saddle
having opposed protrusions, each of which is sized and configured to be
slidably received within a respective such vertical keyway.
(3) Each threaded recess threadably receives a threaded pressure screw
designed to engage a rear face of the saddle to reciprocate the saddle, as
guided by the vertical keyways, into engagement with an electric cable
received within the perpendicular passageway.
(4) The saddle includes a bottom surface that is arcuate in configuration
and is designed to engage the arcuate surface configuration of the
electric cable strands.
(5) The saddle includes a flat spring that is interposed between the
pressure screw and the arcuate surface of the saddle with the spring
imposing a biasing force upon the arcuate surface of the saddle to thereby
facilitate clamping of the electric cable within the perpendicular
passageway.
As such, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a
splicing block for multi-strand electric cable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a splicing
block including two recesses, each of which is designed to receive an
electric cable and corresponding pressure screws and saddles to clamp the
electric cables within their respective passageways.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide such a
device wherein each saddle is guided by vertical keyways formed through
threads of a threaded recess designed to receive a respective pressure
screw.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a
device wherein each saddle has a resilient component to interact with a
respective pressure screw to facilitate imposition of constant spring
biasing pressure on the conductor and thereby facilitate clamping of the
conductor within a passageway.
These and other objects, aspects and features of the present invention will
be better understood from the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the appended drawing
figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a top view of the present invention with electric cables shown
partially in phantom.
FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF TEE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference, first, to FIG. 1, the inventive splicing block is generally
designated by the reference numeral 10 and is seen to include a housing 11
of generally rectangular cubic configuration having a top surface 13, side
surfaces 15 and 17, and front and rear surfaces 19 and 21, respectively.
As seen in FIG. 1, extending into the housing 11 from the top surface 13
are two threaded recesses 23 and 25 with the threads being designated by
the reference numerals 27 and 29, respectively.
With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, it is seen that the recess 23
includes diametrically opposed vertical keyways 31 and 33 that are cut
through the threads 27 of the recess 23. Similarly, the recess 25 includes
diametrically opposed vertical keyways 35 and 37 that are cut into the
threads 29 of the recess 25.
With reference, back, to FIG. 1, it is seen that two saddle mechanisms 40
are provided that are identical to one another. Each saddle 40 includes a
pressure member 41 having an arcuate undersurface 43 that is best seen
with reference to FIG. 3. With further reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, each
saddle 40 includes two co-planar upper flat portions 45 and 47 with the
portion 45 having a generally triangularly-shaped lateral protrusion 49
and with the flat portion 47 having a diametrically opposed
triangularly-shaped protrusion 51. As should be understood from FIGS. 1-3,
the protrusions 49 and 51 are sized and configured to be slidably received
within the respective vertical keyways 33 and 31 or 37 and 35 of the
threaded recesses 23 or 25 so that the saddle 40 may be guidingly received
therein maintaining the position of the arcuate surface 43 thereof in a
proper orientation to clamp an electric cable as seen in FIG. 3.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, in particular, it is seen that each
arcuate portion 43 is connected to the respective flat portions 45, 47 by
generally V-shaped interconnection members 48 that are integral with the
flat portions 45 and 47 to form a resilient biasing spring that
resiliently transfers force from each pressure screw 60 onto a respective
saddle under surface 43 and thence onto electric cable 14. Forces of 200
to 400 inch pounds over a movement of about 0.060 inches of travel can be
achieved with the saddle engaged to screw 60 and pressing on cable 14.
With further reference to FIGS. 1-3, pressure screws 60 each include a tool
receiving recess 61, a threaded exterior 63, with the threads thereof
designed to enmesh with the threads 23 or 25, respectively, of one of the
recesses 27 or 25, respectively. Each pressure screw 60 has an end 65
distal from the tool receiving recess 61 thereof that is generally conical
in nature and screwed between the flat surfaces 45, 47 of the saddle 40
until recess 67 receives interior edge 69 of surface 45 and edge 71 of
surface 47.
With reference to FIG. 2, two electric cables 14 are schematically shown
and include a portion 20 having an insulated cover and a distal end 30
having the cover removed so that the multiple strands thereof are exposed
as best seen with reference to reference numeral 30 in FIG. 3.
With further reference to FIGS. 1-3, it is seen that two passageways 70 and
71 are formed extending within the housing 11 from the front surface 19
thereof. If desired, these passageways 70, 71 may extend completely
through the housing 11 or may comprise blind bores. If desired, the
passageways 70 and 71 may be perpendicular to the respective threaded
recesses 23, 25, or, if desired, may subtend any desired angle
therebetween. When the passageways 70, 71 are perpendicular to the
respective threaded recesses 23, 25, the clamping effect of the arcuate
surfaces 43 of the respective saddles 40 is enhanced.
With the present invention having been described in detail, the manner of
operation will now be explained. As should now be understood, electric
cables 14 are provided and their ends are stripped of insulation to reveal
the multi-strand conductor 30 thereof. Each such stripped end is inserted
within a respective passageway 70 or 71. Thereafter, a saddle 40, with
screw 60 attached by snapping the edges 68 and 71 into groove 67, is
inserted within each threaded recess 23, 25. The pressure screw 60 and
saddle 40 act as one unit until saddle 40 engages the keyways. The
laterally extending protrusions 49, 51 of saddle 40 are received within
the vertical keyways of a recess 23 or 25, including the keyways 33 and 31
of the recess 23 and the keyways 37 and 35 of the recess 25. Each saddle
is guided within the vertical keyways of the respective recess 23 or 25
within which the saddle 40 has been inserted. With reference to the
left-hand side of FIG. 3, it is seen that the arcuate surface 43 of the
saddle 40 bears against some of the strands of the cable 30 whereupon
rotation of the pressure screw 60 will cause reciprocation thereof to
clamp the stripped end of the cable 14 within the passageway 70 or 71, as
the case may be. Partial collapse of saddle 40 forms a peripheral force
around the outside of the individual strands 30 of conductor 14 and bring
them together in a tight bundle. As should be understood, in order to
facilitate rotation of a pressure screw 60, a tool end is inserted within
the tool receiving recess 61 of a pressure screw to facilitate such
rotation and reciprocation. In the example shown in the drawing figures,
the tool receiving recess 61 is of the kind designed to receive an "Allen"
key. Of course, any desired tool receiving recess 61 may be employed.
The saddles 40 are preferably made of a material such as, for example,
spring steel to facilitate the construction from one material including
the integral portions that function as a spring as explained above.
A coating of a polymer can be applied to the housing 11 to provide
additional insulating properties.
As such, an invention has been disclosed in terms of a preferred embodiment
thereof which fulfills each and every one of the objects of the invention
as set forth hereinabove and provides a new and useful splicing block for
multi-strand electric cable of great novelty and utility.
Of course, various changes, modifications and alterations in the teachings
of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art
without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof.
As such, it is intended that the present invention only be limited by the
terms of the appended claims.
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